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James Kent's 'Testament of Youth' Blu-ray Bound[teaser]The romantic war drama starring Alicia Vikander and Kit Harington is headed for Blu-ray in October. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Sony is working on 'Testament of Youth' for Blu-ray on October 20. Testament of Youth is a powerful story of love, war and remembrance, based on the First World War memoir by Vera Brittain, which has become the classic testimony of that war from a woman's point of view. A searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, it's a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make sense of the darkest times. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Testament of Youth' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under October 20. Order the Blu-rayPosted Thu Sep 3, 2015 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Panasonic Reveals TX-65CZ950 VIERA 4K Pro OLED Ultra HD TV with HDR Support[teaser]The company has detailed its first OLED Ultra HD TV model. [/teaser] During is IFA 2015 press conference, Panasonic introduced its latest 4K display. The TX-65CZ950 is an OLED Ultra HD TV with premium picture quality features. The 65-inch display uses an OLED Ultra HD panel capable of absolute black levels, offering superior contrast, uniformity, and viewing angles over traditional LCD sets. In addition, the TV features a specially modified version of the powerful professional-level 4K Studio Master Processor, a True Cinema picture preset fine-tuned by leading Hollywood colorist Mike Sowa, and THX certification, ensuring an accurate picture that stays true to a director's intent. Finally, the display also offers support for high dynamic range content and meets the recently announced CEA HDR guidelines. "Panasonic is proving their commitment to excellence by engineering their newest 4K Pro TV to satisfy my professional standard of zero compromise. My world of visual storytelling is based around color accuracy and the need for a display that compliments the creative vision. Panasonic has engineered their newest 4K Pro OLED TV to a standard that I would only expect in professional displays," said Mike Sowa. Exact pricing and availability for the TX-65CZ950 have not been announced yet. Panasonic now joins LG as the only companies currently producing large-screen OLED TVs. Source: PanasonicPosted Wed Sep 2, 2015 at 06:30 PM PDT by: -
Sony Details New Headphones & Walkman Models with High-Res Audio Support[teaser]The new audio products feature vibrant color options and support for High-Res sound. [/teaser] During its IFA 2015 press conference, Sony announced several additions to its audio lineup. The new products include the h.ear (pronounced "hear") on headphones, and the NW-A25HN Walkman and NW-ZX100HN Walkman. The "h.ear on" headphones will be available in over-the-head (with 40mm HD drivers which reproduce sounds up to 60 kHz) and in-ear style models. The latter option will have the distinction of being the first in-ear Hi-Res headphones to be equipped with a digital noise canceling feature. Meanwhile, the NW-A25HN Walkman is a compact model with noise-canceling tech and included headphones. Finally, the NW-ZX100HN is a premium Walkman model that offers continuous Hi-Res playback for up to 45 hours. Pricing for the new Walkman models has not been announced, but they are expected to start shipping in October. The h.ear headphones are set to launch in November for about $200. Source: Sony 1, Sony 2Posted Wed Sep 2, 2015 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Hulu Launches Commercial-Free Streaming for $12 per Month[teaser]The streaming service now offers a commercial-free option. [/teaser] Hulu has announced the launch of a new ad-free subscription plan for its video content. The commercial free option is available for $12 per month. "At Hulu, we pride ourselves on listening to our customers and giving them the best possible experience," said Mike Hopkins, CEO, Hulu. "Many of our customers have asked us for a commercial free option, and so today we are excited to introduce just that. Providing more choice for consumers is fundamental to the Hulu experience, in addition to an array of choices in content and devices, our customers can now choose to watch with or without commercials." In addition to the new commercial-free plan, Hulu's streaming library continues to grow with new original programs and content partnerships. The service recently signed a deal with EPIX, adding popular films from Lionsgate, MGM and Paramount to its collection. Likewise, the company has also acquired the exclusive subscription streaming rights to full libraries of shows like 'Seinfeld,' 'Empire,' 'Fargo,' 'South Park,' 'CSI,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine,' 'Nashville,' 'Deadliest Catch,' 'The Last Ship' and more. Finally, Hulu offers a premium Showtime streaming option for an additional $9 per month as well. Hulu's $12 commercial-free subscription plan is now available. Customers can also opt to continue with the ad-supported plan for the regular price of $8 per month. The service is supported on a variety of smart TV platforms and media players, including the Amazon Fire TV, Roku 3, Apple TV and Chromecast. Source: HuluPosted Wed Sep 2, 2015 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
David Gordon Green and Al Pacino bringing 'Manglehorn' to Blu-ray[teaser]The drama starring Al Pacino and Holly Hunter is planned for Blu-ray in October. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, MPI is set to release 'Manglehorn' on Blu-ray on October 6. Reclusive small town locksmith A.J. Manglehorn (Academy Award winner Al Pacino) has never quite recovered from losing the love of his life, Clara. Fixated on her memory, he feels closer to his beloved cat than the people around him and prefers to find comfort in his work and daily routine. Still, he forges on with his tenuous human connections, maintaining intermittent contact with his son (Chris Messina), taking misplaced pride in a former protégé gone astray (filmmaker Harmony Korine), and establishing a cautious friendship with a kindhearted woman from the local bank (Academy Award® winner Holly Hunter). As this solitary man approaches the possibility of new love, he finds himself at a crossroads between staying mired in the past and embracing the present. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Manglehorn' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under October 6. Order the Blu-rayPosted Wed Sep 2, 2015 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony Unveils Xperia Z5 Premium, the World's First 4K Ultra HD Smartphone[teaser]The new mobile device will feature the first smartphone UHD display. [/teaser] During its IFA 2015 press conference, Sony announced the latest additions to its mobile lineup. The new smartphone collection includes the Xperia Z5 Premium which uses a 4K display. The Xperia Z5 Premium features a 5.5-inch Ultra HD screen with 806ppi, allowing users to capture 4K video and then play it back on the smartphone display. In addition, the device offers 4K upscaling and the ability to output 4K video to an Ultra HD TV via an MHL connection. Meanwhile, Sony has also revealed two more smartphone models: the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact. The flagship Xperia Z5 features a 5.2-inch 1080p display and the Xperia Z5 Compact uses a 4.6-inch 720p display. All three models are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 CPU. Pricing has not been detailed yet, but the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact will launch globally in October and the Xperia Z5 Premium will launch globally in November. Sources: Sony, EngadgetPosted Wed Sep 2, 2015 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'Stung' & 'Bound to Vengeance' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Two horror flicks will arrive on Blu-ray in November. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scream Factory is preparing 'Stung' for Blu-ray on November 3. In addition, the distributor is also releasing 'Bound to Vengeance' on November 10. 'Stung' - A fancy garden party turns into upper class prey when a colony of killer wasps mutates into seven foot tall predators. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.99. Order the Blu-ray 'Bound to Vengeance' - A young girl, chained in the basement of a sexual predator, escapes and turns the tables on her captor. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.99. Order the Blu-ray You can find the latest specs for 'Stung' and 'Bound to Vengeance' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under November 3 and November 10.Posted Wed Sep 2, 2015 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
'Two Men in Town' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]The restored crime flick is now available for pre-order. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Cohen Media Group is preparing 'Two Men in Town' for Blu-ray on November 10. In this semi-autobiographical hard-boiled crime drama, director and co-writer José Giovanni presents a scathing indictment of the death penalty. When ex-safe cracker Gino (Alain Delon) is released from prison thanks to the aid of social worker and prison reformer Germaine (Jean Gabin), he finds that his attempts to go straight are made more difficult by a suspicious and vengeful chief inspector of police, as well as his former gang who hope to lure him back into a life of crime. This would be the last of three collaborations between Gabin and Delon and was recently remade with Forest Whitaker and Harvey Keitel. Features a new 4K restoration. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Two Men in Town' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 10. Order the Blu-rayPosted Wed Sep 2, 2015 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Amazon Brings Prime Video Download Feature to Android & iOS Devices for Offline Viewing[teaser]Offline Prime viewing has been expanded to more mobile devices. [/teaser] Amazon has announced the arrival of Prime Video Downloads on iOS and Android devices. The new feature will allow members to watch downloaded content offline on their smartphones and tablets. "There's no doubt that the way people watch entertainment is changing—anytime, anywhere viewing is important and we are excited to provide our Prime members with offline viewing capabilities on iOS and Android platforms starting today," stated Michael Paull, Vice President of Digital Video at Amazon. "We are proud to be the first and only online subscription streaming service that enables offline viewing—on vacation, in a car, at the beach, on a plane, wherever our Prime members want to watch they can, regardless of internet connection." Offline viewing was previously available on Amazon Fire products, but now the feature has been expanded to iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets. Prime members can now download titles to these supported devices at no additional cost through the Amazon Video app, enabling playback without an internet connection. This makes Amazon the first and only subscription streaming service to offer such a feature. An Amazon Prime membership currently costs $99 per year, and includes free 2-day shipping, Prime Instant Video, Prime Music, the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, and more. Source: AmazonPosted Tue Sep 1, 2015 at 03:00 PM PDT by: -
LG Adds DirecTV 4K Ultra HD Streaming and Offers Free Smart TV Upgrade[teaser]The company has added new streaming options and a free smart TV update. [/teaser] LG has announced the addition of the DirecTV Ready app for HD and Ultra HD content to its webOS 2.0 smart TVs. Likewise, the company will also be providing a free software upgrade for their 2014 webOS 1.0 smart TVs. "As more consumers embrace streaming content as a preferred method for their video consumption, our goal is to ensure LG smart TVs are offering the simplest, fastest ways to access content services," said David VanderWaal, vice president of marketing, LG Electronics. "Continuing to add high-value content providers, such as DIRECTV, supports our webOS brand promise of 'making TV simple again,' even on previous years' models as seen with our webOS updates." With the DirecTV Ready app, subscribers who own a Genie HD DVR and select LG displays can access a full HD DVR experience on each supported LG TV in their home without the need for extra set-top boxes. In addition, subscribers can stream DirecTV 4K content through their LG Ultra HD TVs. Joining DirecTV, LG is also adding the iHeartRadio and Rdio music services to its smart TV lineup. Meanwhile, the company is readying a special free software upgrade for owners of 2014 LG webOS 1.0 smart TVs. The update will add virtually all of the new webOS 2.0 features, including faster performance, "My Channels," improved quick settings, updated input selection, and a modified "Live Menu." TVs eligible for the upgrade include the LB6300, LB6500, LB7100, LB7200, UB8500, UB9200, UB9300, UB9500, UB9800, EC9300, EC9700 and EG9700. The DirecTV Ready app will be available by September 2. The webOS software update will be available on September 21. Source: LG via PR NewswirePosted Tue Sep 1, 2015 at 12:30 PM PDT by:
